Om Hop Yogatag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-866827924143203952013-02-18T16:44:11-05:00A blog about a healthy, wholesome lifestyle that embraces physical movement, yoga, healthy food, a peaceful mind, and an open spirit. TypePadCurious about Gratitudetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017d4124cffd970c2013-02-18T16:44:11-05:002013-02-18T16:47:17-05:00Have you ever just Googled a random word for the sheer curiosity of what comes up? I Googled "gratitude" today mostly because it's been on my mind lately. While I know what it means and how nourishing it is for our souls I was curious about what would come up....Karoline

Have you ever just Googled a random word for the sheer curiosity of what comes up? I Googled "gratitude" today mostly because it's been on my mind lately. While I know what it means and how nourishing it is for our souls I was curious about what would come up. Of course nothing too out of the ordinary appeared except for the Psychology Today quote below that made me think, but it made me wonder how many people in the world are thinking, reading, talking and writing about "gratitude" and how that changes the vibrational freqency around us. (Have you ever encountered one of those digital art installations that shows floating baloons with data on the number of people with sad, happy or angry emotions in certain parts of the world at a particular time? It made me wish I could see how many people are feeling grateful at this moment in time, and whether it increases during parts of the year like around Thanksgiving or Christmas. But I digress.] Have you ever been around someone whose energy is so positive it raises your spirits and makes you want to be around them? And alternatively, have you ever encountered someone who is so negative or angry that you all of a sudden feel as they do? Imagine if you could motivate yourself to cultivate gratitude for someone or something everyday. How much more positive would you feel? And I'd be willing to bet that you would also rub off on others.

Gratitude is an emotion expressing appreciation for what one has—as opposed to, say, a consumer-oriented emphasis on what one wants or needs—and is currently receiving a great deal of attention as a facet of positive psychology. Gratitude is what gets poured into the glass to make it half full.Studies show that gratitude not only can be deliberately cultivated but can increase levels of well-being and happiness among those who do cultivate it.In addition,grateful thinking—and especially expression of it to others—is associated with increased levels of energy, optimism, and empathy.

I think that's pretty awesome! It actually reminds me of a quote by Zig Ziglar on motivation, "People always say that motivation doesn't last. Well neither does bathing. That's why we recommend it daily." It's so right on. Replacing motivation with gratitude yields a similar insight. Routines and habits form when there is a reward. If we can cultivate positive habits such as expressing gratitude or feeling grateful on a daily basis (just as we have developed the habit of showering on a - I hope - daily basis), imagine the reward for your well-being and for others' well-being if we all like being around positive people! What a challenge!

I'm going to find time to be grateful everyday no matter how difficult it may be to think of something! Again, I'm just curious!

Making the morning a little more specialtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017c369f7b35970b2013-02-05T20:14:58-05:002013-02-05T20:26:06-05:00How often do we wake up in the morning and simply roll out of bed, brush our teeth, eat or skip breakfast, get dressed and run out the door? Where's the fun in that routine? Of course there are days when we have an early meeting or are rushing to...Karoline

How often do we wake up in the morning and simply roll out of bed, brush our teeth, eat or skip breakfast, get dressed and run out the door? Where's the fun in that routine? Of course there are days when we have an early meeting or are rushing to take our kids to daycare or school after a long sleepless night, but when possible a special morning ritual, whether just fifteen minutes or an hour and fifteen minutes can truly set the tone for our day mentally, physically and spiritually.

When our days are consumed with deadlines, obligations and being tethered to all forms of communication technology we forget to allow ourselves to stop and smell the roses for a brief moment and give ourselves a little love. I'm talking about real love in the form of a few moments of pleasure whatever that may mean for us. The morning is the perfect time to embrace this because it's when our minds are most clear after a deep sleep. Garnering just enough willpower to wake up a tiny bit earlier can give you something to look forward to at the start of the day. The peaceful tranquility of a meditation, the warming citrusy water stimulating your digestive juices, or the invigorating run or yoga practice with which you gift yourself can make all the difference for the rest of your day. And who knows, perhaps you'll kick more ass in that business meeting or let the stress of one roll of your shoulders a little more effortlessly!

Drinking warm water with lemon and a yoga practice (and lately physical therapy exercises due to a hamstring injury I'm still nursing) has become part of my morning routine and I honestly believe that my days are so much more fulfilling and productive now than they were when my mornings were more mundane and less thought-out. Why warm water with lemon? The warm water helps stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and lemon helps flush out toxins. (For more info on the benefits of drinking warm water with lemon, check out this MindBodyGreen article). Then, the physical yoga practice/ workout gets the blood flowing and wakes me up. I used to dread waking up earlier than I had to, but exercising a little willpower and sticking to the routine has made it easier especially because I look forward to it. I feel immense gratitude the entire day when I perform this ritual because I know it makes me healthy from a variety of different reasons.

So I encourage you to think about how you can envelope yourself in a little self-love and stimulate your mind, body, and spirit for the next month or longer. The ritual should bring a smile to your face and have positive effects that make you look forward to it every morning.

For a little inspiration, here are some fun ideas:

- a glass of warm water with lemon,

- a 10 minute meditation after a 20 minute yoga practice

- rolling over next to your partner and giving him a warm loving embrace

- breakfast in your living room or outside on the porch or balcony to experience the sun rise

- reading a news story in the morning paper while drinking a cozy and stimulating cup of coffee or tea

Feel free to share yours!

Enlightened Bread-Makingtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017c36191b7d970b2013-01-21T12:05:34-05:002013-02-05T20:21:09-05:00I work in sustainable investing and part of my job is encouraging companies we own to be more transparent with their operations, workplace practices, supply chain management, etc. A transparent, environmentally and socially responsible company creates greater value for itself and its employees as well as its stakeholders. Meeting the...Karoline

I work in sustainable investing and part of my job is encouraging companies we own to be more transparent with their operations, workplace practices, supply chain management, etc. A transparent, environmentally and socially responsible company creates greater value for itself and its employees as well as its stakeholders. Meeting the baker of the Berkshire Mountain Bakery, Richard Bourdon, on our recent trip to the Berkshires made me contemplate the real value of transparency and honesty when it comes to running a business.

The approach the Berkshire Mountain Bakery takes in running it's business is simple: it's bread-making with integrity. It is evident the process is authentic and based on the way bread was traditionally baked before mechanization. Further, they explain exactly why they use this process and break it down in layman's terms for any interested customer. You also get to know Richard. His bio is a story at the end of which the reader feels like she knows him. Here's a short excerpt:

"If you have the opportunity to meet Richard Bourdon you will be struck by his energy and drive. You can find him on any given day doing any of the following: mixing the dough, shaping the loaves, stretching the pizza, sweeping the floors, bagging the cookies or helping out a customer at the counter. If you are lucky enough to have him help you, you will discover a man who still speaks with a gentle French accent who is passionate about the food he produces. His knowledge and enthusiasm will leave you wondering if this man is a baker or a teacher and philosopher. For those of us who know him well, we know he is all of the above. We invite you to taste the bread baked by a man who is truly committed to bringing better food to this world."

Even in the brief moment that Aran and I met him, I can attest that every word of that bio is true. I think every business, service, product, or idea has a story and this website made me realize the importance of sharing it. Since I've become more attuned to how I nourish myself I love knowing what it took for the food to arrive on my plate. Who picked the apples, or raised the animals? Did they raise them in a humane and sustainable way? What is the story of the farmer or baker or chef? This knowledge enriches my experience of eating because food doesn't just give us strength and energy to go about our days, it supports our life force and has incredible healing properties.

Richard helped me realize that perhaps I am not allergic or sensitive to all bread. Perhaps I can actually have bread when it's made as it should be - using the sourdough or fermentation process that makes the whole grains in the bread digestible. When I look around, most of the business ideas and start-ups these days are centered around solving our environmental and social challenges, making our lives easier and more productive or efficient, and bringing together people who are driven to make a positive impact. And those creating these ideas, for the most part want to do so with integrity and many are even radically changing out-dated workplace practices and being mindful of the dynamics of the business as a whole - the operations, employees, community, environment, and products or services being offered. It's not just about the bottomline anymore. The approach is more holistic and more and more companies that are operating this way are finding they achieve greater successes and find more market opportunities than those who are less transparent and more narrowminded about what they do and offer. In this way, this little bakery out in the Berkshires enlightened my thinking around what is good for my body and gained a loyal, supportive customer who has been telling all her friends and family about this gem.

Thank you Richard and Berkshire Mountain Bakery for your authenticity!

Food for Thought. Quite Literally. tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017ee79463e3970d2013-01-17T21:55:51-05:002013-01-20T17:06:32-05:00I am off sweets/ fruits for a little while for a reason related to my health & well-being. Naturally, during the day I wish I could have a date or a piece of dark chocolate or even a tangerine! Thankfully, I've strengthened my willpower muscle enough over the last couple...Karoline

I am off sweets/ fruits for a little while for a reason related to my health & well-being. Naturally, during the day I wish I could have a date or a piece of dark chocolate or even a tangerine! Thankfully, I've strengthened my willpower muscle enough over the last couple of years that I can resist the temptations, but tonight's dinner made me realize something else.

Aran made a divine grass-fed burger (to which he mixed in aleppo pepper, a jalapeno and of course some salt and pepper). He laid it on a bed of beet greens that he sauteed in sherry vinegar and some-left over root veggies from last night. He completed this intense flavor profile with a spicy calabrian chili yogurt. I honestly didn't want the meal to end. I ate it as slowly as I could savoring every succulent mouthwatering bite. While I was washing the dishes he offered me a date. It typically would make me cringe knowing I can't have something I really want especially when someone is offering, but this time, somehow, it was much easier to turn it down. Perhaps it was my willpower, but perhaps the meal was so incredibly satisfying, that my psyche, brain, body, whatever is triggered by temptation wanted to keep luxuriating in the flavor complexity of the dish I just had.

I think there are studies that indicate we reach for sweets or simple carbs because we are not satisfied in other parts of our lives or we're stressed out. These sudden bursts of sugar in our bodies trigger a chemical reaction in our brains that gives us that much needed boost of stimulation. What if we can learn to cook (and lead our lives!) in a way that doesn't lead us to succumb to these habits of reaching for things so perfectly salty, sweet, and fatty that we cannot resist their temptation, and then end up suffering health consequences? What if we learn to cook (and again lead our lives!) in a way that truly satisfies us so that unhealthy, addictive food is not a constant substitute?

I dream of being able to make a difference in someone else's well-being by changing the way they look at food and everyday living, as much as this process of reading, experimentation, and curiosity about food and health has made in mine.

[Photo from a day trip to Governor's Island. Thos cocunuts were darn good and the left over coconut meat we blended into a delicious smoothie the next day!]

Happy New Year! tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017ee6c65457970d2013-01-01T14:25:27-05:002013-01-01T14:25:55-05:00These are my wishes for you this new year. Thanks for making 2012 so special. Here's to 2013! When a new year compels us to look ahead setting new goals and garnering the motivation to fulfill new year's resolutions, it's also an opportunity to look back and see how much...Karoline

These are my wishes for you this new year. Thanks for making 2012 so special. Here's to 2013!

When a new year compels us to look ahead setting new goals and garnering the motivation to fulfill new year's resolutions, it's also an opportunity to look back and see how much has happened and how much we've evolved. I love looking back and pondering on the adventures, heartbreaks, mistakes, meet-cutes, lessons, memories, new friendships and pursuits that filled my year. Even if life felt a bit mundane there are always fresh and enlightening experiences to point to. It's just that perhaps at the moment we didn't notice.

I particularly love thinking about these little and simple transpirations. Sometimes I catch myself realizing that something I truly wanted to happen or accomplish actually came to be without my realizing it until much later, as if it were meant to happen at an appropriate time allowing me to take-in the lessons of the journey in the meantime. Of course this is impossible without a proactive attitude and will, but when when I am able to manifest whatever my heart needs I know I am on the right path.

Take a moment to ponder...Who crossed your path and opened your eyes to a new perspective or a book that enlightened your outlook on life? Where did you travel that opened up your heart or created an incredible new memory? Did you fall in love? Or perhaps out of love? Or did you fall more deeply in love? Did a new song or album strike a chord and made you cry or dance or did it touch your heart like no piece has in a long while? Did you taste an effervescent wine or liquor that took you somewhere unexpected? Did you have a baby? Did you lose a loved one? Did you make a fearless leap toward a career you've dreamt about or reach a new height in your current one? It's these little things that become special when we notice them.

While resolutions may be broken or forgotten, when we look back at a year, so much happens and in one way or another we are not the same people we were the year before. A beautiful thing.

Yoga Therapy: Going back to the basics to improve the quality of our livestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017c32494fa4970b2012-10-02T22:12:21-04:002012-10-07T13:37:43-04:00Ganesh Mohan's Module 3 culminated in applying what we've learned the last 4 days to real-life case studies and developing appropriate programs for each, as well as, a brief overview of heart disease and how yoga can be a tool to help manage it. The most powerful piece of knowledge...Karoline

Ganesh Mohan's Module 3 culminated in applying what we've learned the last 4 days to real-life case studies and developing appropriate programs for each, as well as, a brief overview of heart disease and how yoga can be a tool to help manage it.

The most powerful piece of knowledge I came away with from this module is that while the practice of yoga may not be able to fix problems, it may help manage them and help us in improving the quality of our lives if we do suffer from certain afflictions....and let's be honest, so many of us do.

I once took an Iyengar yoga class with Kevin Gardner, who said that for the most part, when we reach 30 years old our bodies slowly begin to break down, so to prevent injuries, pain or other physical ailments and to maintain our physical vigor we need to put in more effort and place more emphasis on alignment and process. This proved to be very true for me. This year, for the first time in my life, I developed an injury. In the process of pushing my body slightly beyond its edge, without proper engagement of certain muscles I should have been paying more attention to, I pulled my hamstring. I began the healing process a few months ago and it still continuing. Sitting in a chair most of the day isn't helping, but I do what I can to keep moving and engaging in exercises that help break up the connective tissue and scar tissue, strengthen both hamstrings and bring back proper movement. In a crazy way I feel blessed to have had this injury happen because I'm learning so much about my body, where my weaknesses are, and what my body needs to be health and prevent injury.

What does this have to do with breathing? The process of learning how to tune into our breaths and understanding the dynamics of the breath trains us to tune into other aspects of our physicals selves. We develop an inner intuition that permeates into our everyday lives and not only helps us catch small issues before they become bigger, but if we don't catch them in time, gives us the tools to manage them properly so as to maintain a certain balance and peace within.

The beauty of yoga is that it can be applied and practiced at various levels of rigor. Yoga is breathing, it's meditation, it's the asana practice, it's how we nourish ourselves, it's a lifestyle. Yoga is also a process and not an end in itself. So if something does happen that prevents us from diving right into a rigorous asana practice and we need to give our bodies a break, we always have our breath and we can always start there, just as we did when we were first born. And everything else is just another step in this beautiful process.

I will leave you with this incredibly precious and completely thought-provoking video: Baby Liv

(This video presents a snapshot of the practical applications and principles of the Feldenkrais method, developed by Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, developed for anyone who wants to reconnect with their natural abilities to move, think, and feel. For more info: www.TheNExt25Years.com)

Yoga Therapy: Touching on the yoga benefits for asthmatag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017c32271a2c970b2012-09-27T07:51:23-04:002012-10-07T13:35:24-04:00The purpose of spending so much time on the breath is that when we become fully aware of the it and the mechnisms behind it, we gain the ability to control it effectively and intelligtently. And this ability allows us to take better care of our bodies and our health...Karoline

The purpose of spending so much time on the breath is that when we become fully aware of the it and the mechnisms behind it, we gain the ability to control it effectively and intelligtently. And this ability allows us to take better care of our bodies and our health when we're on the mat or doing some form of exercise and when we're simply going about our day. It helps improve our quality of life. As we advance through the various stages of yoga from asana practice, to pranayama, to meditation and beyond the more we understand about the breath earlier on, the more effective our yoga practices are. Ganesh says it takes up to 2 years to develop comfort with the breath and do it effectively during our yoga practice. I find this fascinating because breathing is such an innate and natural activity and yet, as we go about our lives experiencing different stresses, traumas and diseases, our bodies develop certain tendencies that turn into more serious conditions over the years. Paying attention to where our blockages and weaknesses are is paramount to preventing or resolving these potential ailments.

What do we do though, when we get to that point when we have a cardiovascular condition, or a physical injury, or anything that prevents us from living our daily lives pleasantly? One condition that can cause a lot of daily discomfort is asthma. Ganesh focused on asthma for several hours yesterday because not only does it affect a person's ability to breathe properly, but it also can be extremely debilitating and difficult on someone if left unmanaged.

While we addressed asthmatic symptoms, the genetic, environmental, and internal factors taht contribute to asthma, the phases of the condition and diagnoses, I wanted to share how we can connect breathing exercises and yoga to help manage the condition and improve quality of life even with the condition.

The main issue with asthma is exhalation and not so much inhalation. People with asthma have a difficulty breathing out - especially when they're asked to breathe out a lot of breath very quickly. To tackle this issue with exhalation and allow someone with asthma more comfort with her breath, Ganesh offered a few exercises:

Inversions - any yoga pose where the torso is either upside down such as headstand, handstand, and shoulderstand or upside down on a slant such as downward facing dog, gravity helps pull the diaphragm up, which allows for a more complete exhalation. This is true for anyone, whether or not they have asthma. Try a downward facing dog and notice how much easier your exhale and inhale.

Sound - sound allows you to exhale the breath completely. Notice if you take a deep breath and simply exhale through the mouth, the exhale is much shorter and feels less complete than if you inhale and make the om sound on the exhale until you release all the air from your lungs. This way you're also engaging your abdominal muscles a bit more.

Forward bending, twists and pranayama can also assist in the exhale depending on how fit the person is. All of these exercises help someone with asthma gain a little more control of their breath and regain a psychological comfort with their breathing and their body. Please do note though that since the ujjayi breath can feel a bit constricting, it is not an ideal exercise for anyone who has trouble with breathing. Instead, they should do exercises that help them get more comfortable with the breath, making it feel more smooth and less strenuous, and then work toward toward engaging the ujjayi breath, but only if it's comfortable and supportive during the asana practice.

While I've never had asthma, it's so reassuring to me that yoga can play a part in improving the quality of life of someone who does.

One more day!!

Yoga Therapy: Connecting to our ujjayi breathtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017d3c4be79e970c2012-09-25T21:55:26-04:002012-10-07T13:37:18-04:00On day 3 we explored the ujjayi breath. For those of you who are fairly new to yoga and have not yet been taught proper ujjayi breathing, the ujjayi breath is used during yoga practice to focus the mind and flow more smoothly through the asanas. You engage the ujjayi...Karoline

On day 3 we explored the ujjayi breath. For those of you who are fairly new to yoga and have not yet been taught proper ujjayi breathing, the ujjayi breath is used during yoga practice to focus the mind and flow more smoothly through the asanas. You engage the ujjayi breath by constricting your vocal cords. This renders an ocean sound in the back of your throat and adds a wonderful element to your flow. In this entry I will just touch on the basic aspects of the ujjayi breath that we learned from Ganesh.

PURPOSE & BENEFITS

The ujjayi breath helps us control our breathing during yoga practice. The slight constriction of the vocal cords as we breathe out (and in if you like to use the ujjayi breath on the inhale) helps us keep the rate and flow of the breath at the pace that we want. (Remember in general we breath in as we come up in various asanas, and we breath down as we come our torsos come down or forward). The ujjayi breath is not forceful. You're simply controlling the passage of air through the vocal cords and nostrils and in turn bringing more awareness to the way the abdomen and diaphragm are working in various asanas.

If done properly some of the benefits of the ujjayi breath are as follows:

1. The ujjayi helps support and stabilize the spine as you flow through your asanas. This is because you're engaging your chest and abdominal muscles as you breathe more fully. This is important because of how sensitive our nervous system is and everything feeds back to the spine.

2. It helps focus the mind, and in the long-run as you continue through the practice it brings relaxation to the body.

3. It is useful as a source of feedback. Because it helps focus the mind you become more attuned to how your body responds to the more controlled breathing. How your body responds can vary throughout the practice as you go through a sequence of asanas - some more challenging and others softer.

4. It prepares us for pranayama practice.

What's important to note that hadn't been brought to my attention before, is that the strength of the ujjayi breath does not need to be consistent throughout the practice and in fact it is better if it's not. It is useful to make the breath strong during the more challenging asanas, and softer during the lighter asanas.

While the ujjayi breath is an important tool and enhances our yoga practice for the above reasons, it is equally important to inquire into the state of our physical body as we breathe. Some questions we can be mindful of are: Do I have good mobility in my rib cage and thoracic spine? Am I able to fill my belly with breath and maintain belly breathing even subconsciously or do I hold the belly most of the day or most of the practice? Do I have shortness of breath? Am I able to hold my breath for at least 10-15 seconds? The answers to these questions will help you better understand the state of your physical body and lead you to bring awareness to the areas that need more attention. Further paying attention to various parts of the body such as the diaphragm, the abdomen, the rib cage, and you lower, mid, and upper back when breathing or engaging the ujjayi breath can be extremely restorative to our overall longterm health.

So remember to engage the ujjayi breath and become more connected to the feedback your bodies gives you as you breathe more fully and with a little more control.

[The photo is of the murti of Abhayankara Mahaganapati (Ganesh) at the Broome Street Hindu Temple, the studio where Ganesh Mohan is giving his workshop. For more information please take a look at their website: www.ayny.org)

Yoga Therapy: Taming and regaining control of the breathtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c017d3c41a9f7970c2012-09-23T08:48:33-04:002012-10-07T13:40:30-04:00I am taking a Yoga Therapy Course this Saturday - Wednesday with Ganesh Mohan, a physician trained in both western medicine and ayurveda. It is his 3rd yoga therapy module and this time he is primarily focusing on the breath. Yes, we will be talking about breathing and doing breathing...Karoline

I am taking a Yoga Therapy Course this Saturday - Wednesday with Ganesh Mohan, a physician trained in both western medicine and ayurveda. It is his 3rd yoga therapy module and this time he is primarily focusing on the breath. Yes, we will be talking about breathing and doing breathing exercises for 5 days! It has only been one day, but already, I'm at the edge of my yoga mat!

I will try to share one thing that I learned during the day for each of the next 5 days. I have been taught from the moment I set foot on my mat, that the breath is an integral part of our physical or hatha yoga practice. The breath allows us to ease through the challenging poses and we inhale whenever we're moving up and exhale when the flow requires us to move back down toward the mat. Ganesh wants us to realize that while control of the breath is important, part of that control is the ability to truly let it go and let it flow naturally - deeply and at the right pace for us. And mastering that release can take a long time, but we can get there by tuning into our breath throughout our day and observing its state at different times, and especially when we're in different life situations - talking to a stranger vs. our boss vs. a dear friend, when exercising, when watching a pleasant movie, when stressed, when happy. Our the depth, rate, and rhythm of our breath changes throughout the day!

I find this subject fascinating. While breathing is such an involuntary action and we go most of our day without noticing our breath because it simply happens, when we break the breath down and inquire into its subtleties, we realize how complex the act of breathing can be and how much mastering our breath can assist us with coping with the stresses of our everyday lives. Just like the physical practice of yoga, all the asanas that we do, the discipline we develop of the flow through which we lead our body, can permeate into our life and allow us to garner a better sense of well-being and take little steps to make our lifestyles healthier and more fulfilling, the breath allows us to do the same for our bodies.

I'll leave you here to ponder the breath and will share more tomorrow!

Moments of Lovetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a013487f23b40970c01676674d1b6970b2012-05-31T21:52:37-04:002012-05-31T21:52:37-04:00I'm taking a "distance learning" Love Course with Harshada Wagner, an amazing meditation teacher and in his last webcast he asked us to notice moments of love as well as create moments of love in our everyday lives. Love can take myriad shapes. It can be love toward our partner,...Karoline

I'm taking a "distance learning" Love Course with Harshada Wagner, an amazing meditation teacher and in his last webcast he asked us to notice moments of love as well as create moments of love in our everyday lives. Love can take myriad shapes. It can be love toward our partner, motherly or fatherly love, and it can even take the form of a Thank you or a smile between strangers. Anyone who has lived in NYC for a period of time understands that the city can feel distant, unfriendly, and rigid. Yet, when we truly look and are proactive about sending love to others, we find it is all around us. I know that sounds like a line from the move Love Actually, but it's true!

So I came back from Brazil with a renewed sense of self. A wider vision. A fresh perspective. I came back relaxed, though by Friday afternoon I started feeling like the frenetic energy of the city is consuming me again. And then I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in a while and something shifted. I saw myself rushing to catch a train to Connecticut for the weekend, my excessively heavy suitcase in hand, my mind on how quickly I want to get to that train, when I paused to take a moment and enjoy our quick yet uplifiting catch-up! Once we said good-bye, I walked to the subway more mindfully and with a little more grace. I caught myself and that uncomfortable feeling of rushing and realized how futile it is. I began to notice the moment and myself more. I was present. As a result, more little moments of love ensued and paved my path to the train: First, a man asked me if I needed help as I struggled to get my suitcase - and myself - through a turnstyle to enter the subway station at Times Square. Then as I was coming down a ramp approaching an elevator that I wasn't planning on taking, a woman noticed me and asked me with a smile if I want her to hold it. Then after getting off my subway train, I saw a set of stairs towering in front of me and as I braced to pick up my heavy suitcase, a guy offered to bring it up for me! I breathed a sigh of relief! I felt light and completely connected. I wanted to keep smiling and ride this wave. It was moment after moment of love.

Imagine what life would be like if it was just an endless string of love moments. I'm going to try to create more of them. Are you in?